Champagne is generally associated with feelings of euphoric excess and the special occasions that prompt them -- New Year's Eve celebrations, weddings, birthdays, promotions. Even if you're in the mood to splurge, a large crowd or a tight budget can prompt the pursuit of cheap Champagne. From France to Spain, Italy, and California, there's enough excellent bubbly to go around for $10 or less. The challenge lies in knowing what you're buying. We considered online reviews and ratings from a variety of sources and consulted a wine expert to come up with our top picks.

If you think cheap white wine is only for grandma's spritzer, think again. There's a white wine -- costing no more than $10 to satisfy almost anyone's palate. Inexpensive white wines can complement a range of foods, brighten up a lazy summer afternoon, and make an excellent substitute for pre-dinner cocktails. White wines typically present fruity and/or floral flavors and aromas, sometimes offer a bit of spice and earthiness, and range in sugar content from bone dry to dessert-level sweet. We've made top picks based on tastings, ratings, reviews, and awards, on top of expert advice, and suspect wine drinkers will find at least one selection to suit both their sipping preferences and their budget.

Who needs a premium red wine when a thoroughly respectable bottle costs $10 or less? Frugal quaffers who know even a little bit about wine and aren't afraid to go with what they like will find many such bottles. There are hundreds of cheap red wines out there -- some barely worth the few dollars you'd pay but many worth drinking. With so many styles, grape varieties, producers, and labels to choose among, shopping can be a challenge. To guide wine drinkers through the thicket, we've made top picks based on tastings, ratings, reviews, awards, and expert advice. We've also selected a wide array of other inexpensive red wines fit to serve with a meal, bring to a party, or sip over the course of a quiet evening.

Nespresso Citiz C110 Review

This single-shot espresso machine has a slim, elegant design and comes in a multitude of colors. It takes pods only, making it a snap to use, and the 19-bar pump delivers the most pressure of any on our list. This machine is for espresso junkies only -- a milk frother must be purchased separately.

The Nespresso Citiz C110 (starting at $230, Amazon) makes the espresso experience as easy as possible with its proprietary, single-serve coffee capsules. Nespresso Citiz C110 reviews rave about the no-muss, no-fuss technology. Postings on sites such as Crate & Barrel say the capsule-only design produces a perfect cup with each push of a volume-control button indicating a larger or smaller brew. Consumers' reviews say the taste is excellent and start-to-finish takes less than 2 minutes. Some Nespresso Citiz C110 reviews at Amazon assert you can't do better with an at-home machine largely because the capsules ensure consistency. Clean up is also a snap, say reviews -- the empty aluminum casings drop into a special container and the removable parts just need a quick rinse (or a dip in the dishwasher).

And yet, some users gripe about the monopoly hold of Nespresso on the raw ingredients (the coffee capsules, that is) and about a brew that's not super hot. Also note that the Nespresso Citiz C110 is a one-trick pony -- no lattes or cappuccinos because there's no wand for frothing and steaming milk.

Where to buy

This model boasts 19 bars of pressure and a pump that stops and starts automatically depending on the choice between espresso (1.5 ounces) or lungo (3 ounces). For the best results, though, a Nespresso Citiz C110 review at Brookstone suggests using only the espresso size and adding water or milk if you want a larger drink. A common problem on cheap espresso machines is the low brew head, which has clearance for only a shot glass; the Nespresso Citiz, however, features a cup holding tray that moves up and down to accommodate different sized cups. The stainless steel tank holds 34 ounces of water and the retro design is available in red, black, silver, or white. There are 16 capsule varieties, including three decaffeinated and three organic.

The simplicity, build quality, and performance of this espresso maker are hard to beat. The proprietary capsules are pricey, but there's no learning curve and no surprise results. If you can tolerate the ongoing cost of the capsules and value the uniform brew, this is the machine for you.

Elizabeth Sheer

Elizabeth Sheer is a Brooklyn-based writer and researcher. In addition to researching and writing about household appliances and other consumer items, Elizabeth draws on her history of preparing cooking-related articles to conduct taste tests on all things delicious.